Adjustable handle-bar for bicycles



(No Model.)

y P. S. KINGSLAND. ADJUSTABLE HANDLE BAR POR BICYGLES.

No. 593,943. Patented Nov. 16,1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

y PHILIP S. KINGSLAND, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ADJUSTABLE HANDLE-BAR FOR -BICYCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 593,943, dated November 16, 1897.

Application led November 27, 1896. Serial No. 613 ,568. (No model.)

To wZZu/hom t may concern:v

Be it known that I, PHILIP S. KINGSLAND, a

citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, inthe State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Adjustable Handle-Bars for Bicycles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, vforming part of this specificatiomr My present linvention relates to 'certain improvements on the bicycle handle-bar set forth in my PatentNo. 567 ,243, dated September 8, 1896. n

The object of my present invention is to simplify the operation of the device of the patent and increase the facility and ease of its operation and at the same time add further to its usefulness and function.

My present invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure I is a side view'illustrative of my invention. Fig. II is a section taken on line II III, Fig. I, some of the parts traversed by the section-line being shown inv elevation. Fig. III is a section taken on line II III, Fig. I, the pawl or dog being shown disengaged from the ratchet-wheel and held in this position .by the key provided for that purpose. Fig. IV is a detail sectiond taken` on line IV IV, Fig. II, some of the parts traversedV by the section-line being ,shownV in elevation. Fig. V is a detail elevation, part in section, showing the upper end of the pawl-supporting post, the pawl itself,`the ratchet-Wheel, part of the handle-bars, and the push-button that operates the pawl to disengage it from l Fig. VI is a detail view showing the upper end of the pawl-receiving post and showing the end of the pawl. Fig. VII is a view illustrating the adj ustability of the handles.

Referring to the drawings, l-represents a hollow post which is designed to nt into the head of a bicycle and to beheld therein in `the usual manner. Within this post is a hollow plunger 2, maintained in its upper position by means of a coiled 'spring 3, fitting within it and bearing at its lower end against a stationary partition 4 in the tube l. Secured to the upper end of the plunger is a dog end 7 of the post 1.

5, the ends of which extend beyond the plunger, as shown in Figs. IV and V, and lit in notches or grooves 6 in the upper enlarged The upper end o`f the spring 3 bears against the under side of the dog or pawl within the plunger, as shown in Fig. III. 8 represents part of the handle -bar, provided at its center with a ratchet-wheel 9, adapted to be engaged by the pawl 5 when the latter is forced to its upper position by means of the spring 3. The handle-bar is held to the post by -means of a horizontallydivided box 10, the two parts of the box being held together by means of nuts or rings 11, threaded thereon, as shown in Figs. I and IV. The lower member of the box is secured 'to the upper enlarged end of the post 1 by means of a nut 12, having athreaded connection with a stem 13 on the. lower member of the box. The nut 12 has a shoulder 14, that fits up against the lower shoulder 15 of the head of the post 1, as shown in Figs. II and III. The lower member of the box 10 has a shoulder 16 resting on top of the upper end of the post 1, so that when the pawl is disengaged from the ratchet-wheel the handles may be swung round in line with the frame of the machine, so that the bicycle will not take up anyunnecessary room when stored away. This, however, is a feature of the machine of the patent referred to, and the parts I have thus fary mentioned are in themselves and in their operation substantially the same as in the patent, the pawl in this case, however, being shown as asingle pawl instead of having the two teeth g and g2 of the patentv mentioned.

In the patent the means for forcing the pawl out of engagement with the ratchetwheel consistsl of a button located beneath the box in which the handle-bar is journaled, the shank of this button working in a slot in the sleeve that receives the plunger. To facilitate and make more convenient the operation of the pawl to disengage it from the ratchet-wheel is one ofthe features of my present invention, and to this' end I form a circumferential groove in the ratchet-wheel,V as shown at 17, Fig. V, and I providey a button 18, located over the box 10, and which hasa stem 19, that lits in the groove 17. This stem 10, as shown in Fig. III, fits in between the two parts of the ratchet-wheel formed by the groove 17 and straddles the central part 20 of the handle, that lies between the two parts of the ratchet-wheel. The lower end of the stem 19 has a pin 21, that iits loosely in a socket 22 in the upper face of the pawl 5. lVhen a rider desires to adj ust the handles up or down, he simply presses with the palm of one hand on the button 18 until the pawl 5 is forced out of engagement with the ratchetwheel and then with the other hand turns his handle-bar up or down, as desired, and upon the release of the button the pawl springs into engagement with the ratchetwheel again. As the rider thus disengages the pawl from the ratchet-wheel, his fingers conveniently embrace the box 10, thus keeping the front or steering wheel of the bicycle under his control, while the handle-bars are for the moment disabled, so far as guiding the machine is concerned. This manner of operating the pawl to disengage it from the ratchet-wheel adds materially to the facility and ease with which the handle of the machine may be adjusted and makes it possible for the hand that disengages the pawl from the ratchet to be used at the same time to control the steering-wheel, while the other hand is used to raise or lower the handles.

In my patent referred to it is set forth that the pawl may be so far depressed as to leave the handle-bar free to be swung around horizontally, and when the pawl is in this position the handle-bars cannot be used to guide the machine, and so long as the dog is in this position the machine is disabled.

Another feature of my present invention is to provide a means whereby the dog may be retained in its lower position, so that in case a machine is left by the rider it can be disabled for use. To this end I form a slot 23 through the lower member of the box 10 to receive a key 24C. I form also in the stem 19 of the button a transverse slot 25. Vhen the button is depressed to force the pawl 5 to its lowest position, the slot 25 in the stem of the button registers with the slot 23 in the box, and the key 24 may now be slipped into place, as shown in Fig. III, and when this is done the pawl will be held in its lower position and the handle-bars may be swung around in horizontal position and cannot be used to guide the machine, and the machine is thus eifectually disabled for use.

The key 24 is provided at one end with a head 26 and at the other end -with a perforation 27 to provide for the application of a padlock or other form of lock.

As shown in Fig. V, the ratchet-wheel is formed upon a plug 30, that fits in the tubular handle-bar, but this plug is firmly secured to the handle-bar (by shrinking the latter thereon or otherwise) and is in eect part of the handle-bar, and is thus referred to in this speciiication.

I claim as my invention- 1. In an adjustable handle-bar forbicycles, the combination of a post, a handle-bar provided with a circumferentially grooved ratchet-wheel, a box connecting the handlebar to the post, a spring-actuated pawl located within the post and adapted to engage said ratchet-wheel, and a button located over said box and provided with a stem fitting in the groove of the ratchet-wheel and adapted to engage said pawl, substantially as set forth.

2. In an adjustable handle-bar for bicycles, the combination of a post, a handle-bar, a box connecting the handle-bar to the post and which is adapted to revolve upon the post, a ratchet-wheel carried by the handle-bar and circumferentially grooved, a spring-actuated pawl located within the sleeve and provided with a perforation, a button located over said box and having a stem fitting in the groove 1n the ratchet-Wheel, and a pin depending froln the stem and fitting in the perforation in the pawl, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an adjustable handle-bar for bicycles, the combination of a post containing a spring- 4actuated pawl, a handle-bar immediately above the pawl, a box securing the handle-bar to the post and inclosing a grooved ratchetwheell on the handle-bar, and a button located over and having a stem working in the groove of said ratchet-wheel bearing directly against said pawl and holding it from said ratchetwheel during adjustment, substantial] y as set forth.

4. In an adjustable handle-bar for bicycles, the combinationof a hollow post, a hollow plunger tting within the post and provided with a pawl the ends of which extend beyond the plunger and iit in notches in the upper end of the post, a handle-bar, a box securing the handle-bar to the post, a grooved ratchetwheel on said handle-bar within said box, a button located over the box and having astern tt-ing in the groove of the ratchet-wheel, and a pin on the lower end of saidstem tting in a perforation in said pawl, substantially as set forth.

5. In-an adjustable handle-bar for bicycles, the combination of a post containing a springactuated pawl, a handle-bar, a box in line with said post and connecting the handle-bar thereto, a grooved ratchet-wheel on said handle-bar within the box and adapted to be cngaged by said pawl and a button 18 on top of the box and having a U-shaped stem projecting downwardly through the groove of the ratchet-wheel and on opposite sides of the shaft and engaging the pawl to push it out of engagement with the ratchet and free the handle-bar so that it may revolve horizontally, substantially as set forth.

6. In an adjustable handle-bar for bicycles, the combination of a post, a handle-bar, a box connecting the handle-bar to the post, a springactuated pawl within the post, a ratchet-wheel on said handle-bar within the box, and a key adapted to pass through a IOO IIO

lro

groove in the said box and hold said pawl out of engagement With said ratchet-Wheel, so that the handle-bar is free to revolve horizontally, substantially as set forth.

7 In an adjustable handle-bar for bicycles,

the combination of a post, aspring-act'uated pawl located Within the post, a handle-bar, a box for securing the handle-bar to the post, a grooved ratchet-Wheel located on the handle-bar within the box, a button provided with a stem for moving said pawl out of engagement with the ratchet-Whee1,'and a key adapted to pass through a slot in said box and stem to hold the paWl out of engagement with the ratchet-Wheel, so that the handle-bar is 15 free to revolve horizontally, substantially as. and for the purpose set forth.

PHILIP S. KINGISLAND.

In presence of GEO. H. KNIGHT, E. S. KNIGHT. 

